


Wake the Dragon

by GutterBall



Series: Dragons and Princes and Promises, Oh My! [5]
Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: Cussing, Dragon AU, M/M, Smut, painful memories
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-06
Updated: 2018-05-06
Packaged: 2019-05-03 06:02:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14562456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GutterBall/pseuds/GutterBall
Summary: Raleigh's been around a long time, but that doesn't mean he knows everything. It especially doesn't mean that he's really thought this mate-a-human thing through fully. He always was a little reckless.But Chuck throws off all his defenses, and sex with a human is an excellent distraction from everything he doesn't want to think about.Which makes it all the more frustrating when his mate's fiancé strolls in and brings everything he's tried so hard to forget with her.





	Wake the Dragon

**Author's Note:**

> I like to think that dragon!Yancy is germaphobe!Yancy in dragon form. It pleases me.

Raleigh had never been kissed awake before. Not once in all the centuries of his existence. Dragons lacked both the lips and the snout shape for more than affectionate licking and nuzzling, and on the rare occasions he had walked as a human in the past, he hadn't allowed any of the smelly, hairy little morsels close enough for such a dalliance. He knew what kissing was, of course, but it just hadn't seemed important at the time.

He wondered if Chuck knew that the surprise kiss in his father's courtyard had been Raleigh's first.

But now, comfortable and warm and wrapped up in strong arms and with Chuck slowly, lazily kissing him awake, he wanted to stay like this forever. To remain poised between awake and asleep, feeling a long, strong body against his own, the incredible intimacy of such closeness, of shared breath and space. His human body was alive to where this glorious awakening would go, but he wanted more of this first.

More stroking, gentle hands. More satin skin, fuzzed here and there with ginger hair that should disgust him as it would Yancy but seemed perfectly right on this particular body. More soft sighs. More fingers running through his hair.

Hmming softly, he reluctantly opened his eyes, then was immensely glad he had. Chuck's face, even as close as it was, was an embarrassment of riches. Someone so garishly colored should look a shambles, but the reddish hair, pale skin, and extravagant freckles combined in a pleasing, handsome whole that only made Raleigh's heart beat faster, that ready-to-be-fire feeling swelling in his chest.

Then, his human opened his eyes, too, and the mossy green should have been a step too far but somehow... wasn't. It was perfect.

Chuck was fucking _beautiful._

"Dunno what that look's for, but it looks damn good on you."

Smiling slowly and with all the contentment in his dragon heart, Raleigh ran his fingers into messy ginger hair, holding that handsome face right where he wanted it. "This is the best morning ever."

And now the deeper of the two dimples made an appearance at the side of a crooked grin. "It's afternoon. Late afternoon, actually. We slept right through lunch."

A moment's alarm widened his eyes. "Are you hungry?"

But Chuck only huffed softly. "Not what I meant, mate."

Another kiss chased away the troubling thought that he'd already neglected his human's needs, and he settled back into the hazy pleasure of slow, thorough kisses from his mate. Yes, more of this. Forever.

Well... for as long as Chuck lived.

Huh.

"'M I losing your interest, love?"

Humans didn't live very long. Even elderly humans were barely hatchlings compared to a dragon's longevity.

"Raleigh?"

Why hadn't he thought of that before? He'd so blithely asked Chuck to stay _forever,_ but there really was no such thing, was there? With a human?

And he was already so attached. It would only get worse as time went--

A strong hand carefully gripped the most sensitive part of him, and every single thought went out of his head on a low, humming vocalization.

"There you are." Chuck sounded quietly smug. "Thought I'd lost you for a minute."

He opened his eyes and looked at his human again, the vivid coloring, the dimples and crinkles at the corners of those pretty green eyes, and his heart clenched. Chuck hadn't lost him, but he would almost certainly lose Chuck. Someday.

Someday _soon._

The smug faded, ginger eyebrows coming together. "Raleigh? You all right, then?"

No. No, he wasn't.

But he couldn't think about right now, because time suddenly loomed large and dark over his head, and he'd be damned if he wasted a single moment of Chuck's fleeting span moaning about how quickly it would all be over.

He surged upward, kissing desperately and latching onto his human like his life depended on it. Chuck grunted with surprise but didn't pull away. He also didn't protest when Raleigh rolled them in the pillows until he blanketed his human's lovely body, a large part of him wanting to transform, to truly cover all of him, to protect him completely.

From what? From time itself? Impossible.

But he could have this. Chuck kissed him back with just as much intensity, arched up to meet him, so he could have this.

He reached down as Chuck had earlier, taking his human's impressive erection in hand and giving it a slow, careful stroke. He had to be careful, had to rein in his strength, mustn't become overwhelmed and hurt his mate.

Perhaps it would be better if the human were on top at first.

"Fuck, Raleigh, don't stop."

Or maybe he should stay put. Chuck didn't seem to be worried. Flushed and panting and arching up to follow his hand's movement, but definitely not worried.

He kissed lightly at the straining neck, tasted the silky, fragile skin just below the ear, laid his free hand over Chuck's heart to feel it racing. Chuck murmured his name, moaned, and Raleigh couldn't get enough of the sounds, the sights. Even as the satin skin heated and began to sweat, which was objectively gross, he only tasted this new phenomenon with a strange pride that he had caused it.

"Raleigh... love... more... please, more...."

He could do that. He had a general idea of what needed to be done before he could grant that groaning, needy request. Where was the--

Reluctantly, he let go of his sweaty, pleading human to rummage through the pillows for the bottle of lubrication they'd stupidly set aside earlier. It couldn't have gone far. Unfortunately, the pillows slid around, making the search twice as hard as it should be. And then Chuck, letting out an actual whimper, crawled up him and latched onto his back, kissing at the back of his neck, distracting him and not helping at all.

"Chuck, were's the bottle?"

Was that his voice? Stars in the sky, but he sounded almost as desperate as his human did. His dick throbbed as Chuck actually set teeth into the skin of his neck, not quite biting in but definitely leaving marks. He shuddered and reached back, accidentally getting a handful of perfect, round, flexing ass.

"Jesus Christ, Raleigh, you feel so goddamn good. Please, love, need you, need you inside me right fucking now."

His lone, searching hand finally touched something that wasn't soft and yielding, and he wanted to shout his relief as he pulled the damn bottle up out of the pile. Twisting and laying Chuck back again, he tried not to think about how, again, the idea of what he was about to do was objectively gross. Yancy could have never managed it. In fact, most dragons considered humans filthy little beasts and would have been appalled at the idea of tasting one's skin or touching one intimately.

Chuck's eagerness for it, though, the desperate kisses, the yearning in that lovely, strong, heated body made the idea of putting himself inside his beautiful human sound like the best goddamn idea in the world.

Slicking his fingers, he kissed Chuck hard and deep, thrusting his tongue as Chuck had done earlier and moaning low in his throat. The first stroke around puckered, sensitive flesh tightened that lovely body against his, and any thought of disgust or shying away vanished. Holding back his strength more than ever, he gently, carefully slipped a finger inside, and, oh, the clench, the heat....

"Raleigh... Raleigh...."

Helplessly repeating his name, Chuck clutched at his back, lifting his hips for more. Raleigh ran his free hand into ginger hair and tugged his human's head back, dragging his teeth -- so, so careful now -- along the straining tendon there and drawing his finger out only to sink it in again, slow but relentless. Chuck shuddered, arching against him, so he did it again. And again.

The repetition of his name changed to a moaning, panting plea for more, _more,_ and Raleigh obliged, gently adding another finger and reveling in the increased clench, unable to not think about how good it would feel around his throbbing, painfully sensitive cock. Human bodies were stupidly fragile, but great ancients, they felt an incredible array of sensations, and Raleigh was almost drunk on both Chuck's reactions and his own body's rise to them.

Then, his stroking, thrusting fingers felt flesh of a slightly different texture inside, and Chuck's entire body surged, tightening and arching, his breath leaving him on a sharp cry. Raleigh jerked his mouth away from the vulnerable throat, but not before his teeth -- sharper, perhaps, than normal human teeth -- nicked the skin and drew a short line of blood.

He froze, a cold wave clashing sickly with the heat inside him with worry that he'd fucked up, he'd somehow hurt his mate, had done it all wrong and hurt Chuck, and how the fuck would he ever be able to safely touch him--

"Raleigh, fuck, again!"

\--again?

Eyes wide, entire body still with concern, he very carefully obliged, lightly touching that different place, and Chuck shuddered, mouth open and lungs heaving for air. The pale skin blushed to a lovely rose, glistening with sweat, the light fuzz of hair darker from the damp, muscle straining in beautiful curves and lines.

Biting his lip as the heat completely swamped the ice that had gripped him, he moved his fingers again, and oh, such beauty on display. And the clench around his fingers--

"Fuck, Raleigh, fuck, hurry, love, need to feel you-- uhnn...."

Another stroke of his fingers cut off the plea, and he leaned down to taste the vibrations in his human's throat from the pleasure thrumming through him. Humans were the most miraculous creatures.

This one, especially.

How could he have ever thought them boring?

Another finger brought Chuck's body to an almost painful tightness, the stretch bringing a groan from both of them, and Raleigh moved with agonizing slowness, both more concerned than ever about losing his control and wanting to savor the feeling for as long as possible. He wouldn't last long with that excruciating pressure on his cock, and he wanted to keep feeling this. Wanted Chuck to keep feeling this.

But he couldn't help pressing his aching cock against a tight-muscled thigh and thrusting with a groan. Chuck arched against him, grinding his equally hard and throbbing cock against Raleigh's stomach.

"Please... love, please... it's enough... need you...."

The poor human sounded completely wrecked, but he still felt so, so tight around Raleigh's fingers. He didn't want to cause even the slightest pain, but... by the Old Soil, Chuck looked so fucking beautiful in his desperation that Raleigh wasn't sure he could hold back any longer. He wanted to draw out the pleasure, give Chuck everything he could, but....

Another stroke over that different flesh inside, using all three fingers and stretching as much as he dared, and Chuck's cock let out a small spurt of fluid even as he cried out and dug his fingers into the muscle of Raleigh's back.

"Please, please, please, love, please--"

Enough. Stars above, please let it be enough, because Raleigh couldn't wait another second. Slicking his too-sensitive cock and tossing away the bottle, he lay against his gorgeous, writhing, sweating mate with all of himself, kissing him deep as he pressed inside. All the glories of flight, of fire, of magic couldn't compare to the sensation. The heat and clench and depth, the feeling of being inside, of being accepted, of Chuck wrapping himself around him and holding on for dear life, trembling against him and breathing shallow and shaky against his neck.

There were no words. No pleas. For an eternity, they simply clung to each other, felt the connection between them, what it meant.

Then, Raleigh moved, and as he'd known before, he wouldn't last long. Chuck's body gripped him like a slick fist, every sensitive inch of him crying out for release. He thrust against that beautiful clutch, crying out with the strain of holding back his strength, and Chuck twisted and arched beneath him, bucking his hips for more, for deeper, for harder.

He did his best to oblige, to listen to every sound Chuck made, desperately hoping they were sounds of pleasure even when they turned to cries and even shouts. Those gorgeous thighs wrapped around his waist, and he reached down to grip the beautiful ass and tilt it up so he could thrust deeper still. The change in angle brought a sharper shout from his mate's throat as the full length of his cock stroked over that pecular, sensitive flesh inside.

"Jesus, Raleigh, yes, there!"

Again and again, and Chuck clenched harder still, his whole body stiffening and his face twisting as his cock twitched and spurted between them. Even in his own building ecstasy, Raleigh watched the beautiful display with awe. He had done that. He had given this exquisite creature this moment of glory.

But he could only watch for a moment before his own body tightened, heat rolling through him and throwing his head back as he reached his own glory. He hoped Chuck had recovered enough to see it, to know that he had given Raleigh such an incredible height of pleasure, too. Had shared the moment with him.

He held there for a breathless eternity, reveling in this one moment of not worrying about his strength, about Chuck's mortality, about how he'd ever live without this now that he'd discovered it. For this one beautiful moment, there was nothing inside him but a golden and glowing sense of _yes, perfect._

Smiling as the wave finally crested and left him as weak as a dragon could ever feel, he slumped, then lowered himself to lie over the warm, damp body of his mate. Chuck rested his hands on Raleigh's back, apparently too sapped of strength to actually clutch him. His legs loosened and fell away, one lying alongside Raleigh's and the other bent at the knee, leaning against his thigh. The broad chest lifted on a deep inhale, then sank on a sigh that was almost a vocalization.

Smiling, he turned his face against the warm, damp neck, amused anew by how disgusted Yancy would be to see him now, snuggling up to a sweaty, messy human. Dragons didn't sweat. Not even in human form.

But he didn't mind it even a little bit and burrowed closer, though it moved him minutely inside, causing Chuck to tighten down on him again and gasp.

"Mm, sorry."

Another sighing vocalization, and those warm hands stroked his back as they both settled. Raleigh was pleasantly tired, sated and happy. In normal circumstances, the feeling would lead to a nap that would last a decade.

Now, he only intended to settle long enough for both of them to fully enjoy the moment, at which point Raleigh would go hunt for his mate's missed lunch. Or perhaps take them both down for a nice swim to wash away the sticky slickness between them.

Objectively gross. Still nice.

After long, quiet moments, Chuck sighed and turned his face to nudge his nose into Raleigh's hair.

"You sure you've never fucked a human before?"

He blinked his eyes open, though he didn't pull away. What kind of question was that?

"Because, mate, you just fucking wrecked me."

Caught between a smile and a frown, he lifted his head just enough to eye his human, trying to guess what the half-lidded eyes and tired smile meant. "Is that good?"

A low chuckle that did interesting things to his cock, which had softened enough to slide out a bit but now twitched with renewed interest.

"It's fucking _great."_

The smile took over and turned into a smug smirk. He had done well. He had brought his human ecstasy without hurting him, had treated him as he deserved to be treated -- like the most precious creature in existence.

"Oi, wipe that fucking smirk off your face, ya cocky git."

But he didn't, and Chuck made no move to do so himself, so he simply lie back over that lovely body and snuggled close again. His cock was still firm enough to remain mostly inside, and he hoped it stayed that way long enough to truly come down from the heights. Right now, every inch of him still felt overly sensitive, as if sensing lightning in the air.

Chuck grumbled in his ear, though he slid one hand down to cup the curve of his ass possessively and made no move to shove him away, so he must not be too put out. How could anyone be irritated after such a successful fuck?

Hmming softly, he nuzzled the silky skin just under Chuck's ear. The human may think heaven was being surrounded by books, but to Raleigh, heaven would always be this. Bodies entwined, slowly cooling, relaxing together, calm and comfortable.

"Ahem."

Alarm shot through him, and his head jerked up even as his body shifted to protect Chuck from attack. He slipped out fully, but he could mourn the loss of their connection later. Right now, an intruder had breached his lair, and only the fear of literally crushing Chuck kept him from transforming and attacking.

A human stood by the fire pit, arms crossed and hips cocked at an angle. A female, he thought. One of those with dark hair and eyes, though her hair was streaked with bright blue in the front, which seemed unusual. She didn't appear to be armed, but humans usually were. Treacherous to the last one.

Except Chuck. Thus far.

"Who are you?"

His voice rumbled like thunder, echoing around the cave, but she didn't flinch.

"Who are _you?"_

He started to demand an answer to his question, but Chuck started squirming, trying to escape his protective grasp, and he reluctantly let go. He would protect if he could, but if Chuck wanted free of his protection....

"Sweet Jesus... _Mako?"_

The female's eyes widened, her arms dropping to her side. "Chuck? What on earth...?"

Wide-eyed and paler than usual, Chuck looked from Raleigh, for whom the need to protect was being replaced by confusion and worry, back to the strange woman, who looked... surprised? Appalled? Human expressions were too varied for Raleigh to guess, especially on a stranger.

"Jesus, Mako, what the fuck are you doing here?"

Still wide-eyed, she blinked. "Your father... he said... but...?"

Completely lost, Raleigh looked from one to the other with a growing feeling of annoyance. Whoever this human was, she had interrupted a beautiful moment of complete freedom, and now Chuck looked upset and ready to pass out, as if the recent orgasm had never happened.

"Chuck, who is this woman?"

Chuck's wide eyes met his, darkening with what could only be dismay. He opened his mouth to answer, but the interloper beat him to it.

"I am Princess Mako of the Tanigashima Moris, betrothed of Prince Charles of the Sydney Hansens. Who are _you?"_

He frowned. Did _betrothed_ mean...?

But his look at Chuck confirmed his suspicions, and he suddenly felt light-headed.

"Mate, she's my fiancé."

He blinked, curiously emotionless with the new development. He supposed he should be angry -- humans, always so tricky -- but Chuck _had_ told him from the start that the king wanted him to marry a woman.

But he hadn't said he was _engaged._

Chuck eyed him, dismayed and pale and worried, and... it was wrong. Chuck shouldn't look like that. He should be flushed with pleasure, eyes hazy with need, biting his lip or throwing back his head or pleading for more, please, love, more.

So, though Raleigh had no idea how to feel and wasn't sure he shouldn't feel at least a little betrayed by this human or maybe even smug that he'd known all humans were treacherous little beasts... he only blinked again.

"Huh."

He couldn't think of anything else to say.

\--

Twenty minutes later, two humans and a dragon in human form sat in something of a circle, all three of them clothed. Raleigh had meant it when he said he never dressed at home, but Chuck had been so uncomfortable with his own nudity in front of the female that Raleigh had grudgingly cleaned them both up and donned a pair of Chuck's trousers and a loose linen shirt. He supposed the relief on Chuck's face was worth the irritation.

Unfortunately, from this close, the new human felt... wrong. Strange. He narrowed his eyes and tried to decide if he was biased against her because of her prior claim on his mate or if something was genuinely off about her.

Worse, Chuck looked from one of them to the other, increasingly miserable as they glared at each other. Finally, the poor human ran a hand over his face and sighed.

"Mako... what are you doing here?"

She stared at Raleigh for another beat of silence, then turned her piercing attention on Chuck. "My parents stopped at the castle for a visit. Your father tried to explain that you had become betrothed to another and that the expected marriage would not take place."

Chuck winced. "Oi, Mako, I was going to write you. I swear. I just... this has all been so goddamn fast."

Her expression softened, and Raleigh tilted his head, his eyes narrowing. Did she care for him, then? Did she love him? Would she be broken?

Would Chuck?

But he'd said he didn't, _couldn't_ love females....

"I understand."

Chuck's head snapped up, his eyes widening. He looked so hopeful that Raleigh felt bad for still being... irritated? Jealous? He didn't even know how to feel.

The woman's eyes rolled, and she even smiled a bit. "Chuck, I know you would not intentionally hurt me. We've been friends too long for that."

Chuck sighed. "Look, Mako, you know I respect the fuck out of you."

Her mouth twitched.

"But you also know I don't... I can't...."

She reached out and laid a gentle hand on Chuck's knee. Raleigh's attention focused on the gesture, but he didn't move to stop it. Yet. He just watched very, very intently.

"Stop. I've always known. And for all that we have respect, we have never had love." Her gentle smile faded. "But I also thought... it just seemed so inevitable that we would be together. I... hardly know how to...."

She looked at Raleigh, then, her attention focusing again, and he again wondered if he was biased against her of if there was something wrong about her. Something more than human.

He'd almost swear....

"You are not human."

His eyes narrowed, his jaw clenching, and he made a snap decision. He'd always been a bit reckless, much to Yancy's dismay.

"Neither are you."

Her eyes widened, and she snatched her hand back to clasp both of them together.

Watching her closely, he tilted his head. "You are not entirely human. You do not smell like a dragon, but you feel...."

He let the insinuation hang, knowing he'd gone too formal again but unable to help himself. Chuck sat tense and worried just in reach, but he had to focus on this potential enemy. Comfort for his mate could come later.

If there was a later. If Chuck didn't didn't decide to honor this prior claim.

His heart sank, but he tried not to let it show. Surely, his mate wouldn't--

Finally, the woman lowered her gaze. "I swore to never tell. It is our family secret, our family burden."

Chuck, still pale and miserable, looked between them with a half-hearted scowl, too worried to be truly angry with either of them. "What are you lot on about?"

Straightening her shoulders, she lifted her head and met Raleigh's glare fully. "You are dragonkin?"

He snorted. "I am a dragon. I only choose to remain in human form until I decide whether or not to eat you."

"Raleigh."

Chuck's expression had gone from misery to eyerolling annoyance, and, strangely, Raleigh felt better for it. His own hard edges softened.

No, he wouldn't eat the woman. She was important to Chuck, and even if his mate chose to leave with her, Raleigh could never destroy anyone or anything important to his human.

When he returned his attention to her, he realized that her expression toward him had softened, as well. Interesting. Perhaps she felt the same way about his importance to Chuck as he did hers.

"May I call you by your name, dragon?"

He considered. Until Chuck nudged him and rolled his eyes.

"Raleigh."

Gravely, though with a hint of amusement in her calm features, the woman reached out a hand. She was tiny and looked even more fragile than most humans did, but Raleigh sensed the difference in her, a strength that went beyond the physical. She wasn't nearly as fragile as she looked.

He reluctantly took her hand in his. They shook once.

"Mako."

He nodded. "Dragonkin?"

Taking her hand back, she looked away. "Not exactly." Her delicate jaw tensed, then released. "I suppose you, of all creatures, deserve to know. Centuries ago, an ancestor thought he'd discovered the secret to immortality. He thought if he...." She glanced at him, then lowered her gaze to her hands clasped in her lap. "He thought that if he ate the still-beating heart of a dragon, he would gain its long life as his own, becoming nigh immortal compared to the human span."

Raleigh's eyes widened. His own past flashed by in his mind, lessons learned at the Pentecost's knee, stories of human sorcery, strategies and plans and the war that had given him so many of his scars and secured his opinion that humans were treacherous at best and outright evil at worst, and he felt--

"The Gage."

It was a hoarse croak, barely sounding like his own voice, but she nodded, lowering her head even further.

"Raleigh? Mate, are you all right? You look... fuck, mate, you look ready to be sick."

Two days in the company of humans, and everything he had tried to leave behind came rushing back. Emotions and attachments and betrayals and war, always war, it was always war when humans were involved because they were greedy and they were rowdy and he was so tired of them and why, oh why did he have to fall in love with a goddamn human?

Slumping, he put a hand over his eyes, not surprised that it shook. "The Gage. A two-headed blue, one of the ancients. A human sorceror ensnared him with magic, cut out his heart, and ate it. It started--"

He swallowed hard, feeling his gorge rise. Not all dragons had bothered to learn magic like he had. Like Yancy had. Dragons were made of magic, so what need had they of spells and hexes?

But the Pentecost had seen the gruesome tragedy of the Gage and had known how dangerous the humans could be. How brutal and power-hungry. He had known it was only the beginning. The rest of the ancients had laughed at his caution, as bored with the pettiness of humans as Raleigh would eventually become, but the Pentecost had stood firm.

Dragons must learn to work magic as the humans did or risk ending up like the Gage. Risk being wiped out _en masse._

So he had asked for volunteers to learn, to work the magic that flowed through them, and Raleigh, reckless and stupidly optimistic, had eagerly answered the call, ready to fight for his kind. For glory.

And Yancy had joined him, because their mother had returned to the Old Soil and they were all they had, and Yance had always been overprotective.

So many lives lost in the inevitable war. So many dragons returned to the Old Soil. So many humans snuffed out like the fragile candles of existence that they were.

So many scars. So many memories he'd tried so hard to forget. To leave behind. To hide behind boredom and avoidance, always reminding himself that humans were a bad lot, not worth his attention.

Two days. That was all it took to bring it all back.

"It... didn't work." Her voice was hesitant. "Not like he wanted it to." She swallowed hard, the sound audible in the silent, charged atmosphere of the cave. "He didn't become immortal, but something of the dragon remained in his blood. Some of us show it more than others--"

He flinched at her sudden movement, but she only reached up to touch one of the blue streaks in her hair. Of course. Dragon blood was as blue as the edges of a lightning bolt.

"--but we all feel it. Feel different. Feel the horrible stain of what our ancestor did."

"Mako." Chuck sounded... gutted. As gutted as Raleigh felt. "Why didn't you tell me? I thought we were mates?" He jerked a glance at Raleigh. "Er... friends?"

But he took no offense. He was too busy reeling from his past vomiting all over what had been such a beautiful present.

Humans. Destructive and treacherous and disruptive to their very cores. It was just their nature. Raleigh had accepted that long ago.

He'd just... let himself forget. Let himself fall.

He wasn't even sure yet if he regretted it.

"Chuck, our entire line is cursed. We've all sworn to keep our shame secret." The female shook her head, face pale and grave. "When I learned as a child what the colors meant--" She again touched one of the streaks in her hair. "--I vowed that I would find a way to restore our family honor, to undo what my ancestor had done. But... how? And how could I tell you when I feel shame every time I look in the mirror?"

Wait.

Wait, she... felt shame? A human was capable of shame? Of regret?

Of honor?

As if awakening from a nightmare, Raleigh looked at Chuck, at the human who had come to mean far too much to him in such a short time, who would only be with him for a blink of his long existence. Chuck, with his vivid colors, his prickly charm, his warmth and odd thoughtfulness and his vow to stay with Raleigh forever. Or as long as he could.

Chuck, who had accepted him into his body, who had begged for him, had given him such pleasure.

Chuck, who Raleigh... loved. Yes, loved.

He looked at the woman, Mako, who still hung her head with shame at her ancestor's bloodthirsty act of brutality, who vowed to right her family's wrongs, to restore the family honor. Mako, who cared for Chuck, who had come looking for him when told that he would marry another.

He'd been right about her from the start. She wasn't human. She was... more.

"Mako."

His voice was still hoarse and sick, but he managed at least half a smile when she finally raised her eyes to his.

"It's not your fault."

She held his gaze steadily, though she shook her head. "No, but it is my burden."

Humans. Such contrary beings. But definitely not boring.

Sighing, he shook his head. "It was your ancestor's burden alone. You cannot purge the blood from your veins any more than you can cut off your own head." Wary, unsure how the gesture would be accepted, he reached out and lightly touched her knee as she had Chuck's. "But you don't have to. You have done nothing wrong."

And she hadn't. The war his kind had fought against the humans was centuries past. Dragons had won, nominally and at great cost. Most had withdrawn, content -- even relieved -- to stay away from humans entirely. Yancy was one of them.

Raleigh... was not. Oh, he had avoided humans if at all possible outside of occasional, accidental encounters, but he also avoided the other dragons. He and Yancy saw each other whenever possible, because it had always been them against the world.

But when he saw the rest of his kind, he also saw Those Who Had Returned to the Old Soil, and the pain of knowing he couldn't save them, that he'd failed, had recklessly thrown himself in too far over his head and others had paid for his hubris, was too much to bear. He'd been fortunate to still have Yancy, though they both had their scars to remind them of how close it had been.

Others hadn't been so damn lucky.

So he had gone off on his own, alone and licking his wounds, hiding away from the world and sleeping away the years, waking only to eat enough to satisfy himself enough to sleep again. So alone, for so long.

But it wasn't this human's fault. It wasn't even her family's fault.

And Raleigh had always had too soft a heart. Yancy had always said so.

A small, cool hand covered his, and he abruptly realized he was still touching her knee. He jerked his eyes up to meet hers, and she... smiled.

It was a tiny thing, but it warmed her entire face.

"You will be good to him?"

He blinked, then realized she was speaking of Chuck, who had been suspiciously quiet through the whole exchange. He looked over, suddenly ashamed to have virtually ignored him, but Chuck only smiled softly, the deeper dimple peeking out.

Beautiful. Maybe even trustworthy, though that hardly seemed to matter.

"I love him."

It was the truth, after all, and worth the admission to see Chuck's pretty eyes widen and his mouth drop open.

"Good." She patted his hand, then stood away. "May I be invited to the wedding?"

Chuck sputtered, but now that he'd gathered his wits, Raleigh felt sure enough to answer for them both. Chuck wouldn't leave him for her, he was almost sure, and it sounded as if she wouldn't press her prior claim. Might, in fact, be giving her blessing.

She wouldn't take Chuck away from him.

"We will be honored by your attendance."

Chuck reached over and took his hand and threaded their fingers together.

Mako's dark eyes seemed to twinkle as the small smile returned at the gesture. "Then I would be honored to attend."

She ducked her head again, but this time, no shame clouded her expression. In fact, Raleigh wasn't sure she wasn't hiding laughter.

"The king is annoyed to announce that the wedding won't be for at least a fortnight."

Chuck snorted. "Reckoned he'd have it sorted within a week, as bothered as he is to get me safely hitched. What's the drama, then?"

The corners of her mouth trembled, and when she looked up again... yes. She was trying very hard not to laugh.

Suddenly, Raleigh decided that he liked this human very much. She definitely wasn't boring.

"He fails to take into account how much food must be prepared for all who attend, how long it will take for invitations to be delivered and answered, how long it will take to decorate the entire castle and the village court, how many bakers are needed to create a cake grand enough for his only son, and how long the village tailors will demand to design and sew fashions ornate enough for a royal wedding."

He couldn't help himself. He snickered. The expression on Chuck's face was priceless. The poor human couldn't seem to decide if he was amused or annoyed.

"Jesus Christ. Can't we just say some words and be done with it?"

Mako's eyebrows rose. "Have you met your father?"

"Goddammit."

Some of the laughter finally escaped, but only a soft chuckle. "Be patient, Chuck. You will only be married once."

She glanced at him and smiled, and yes, Raleigh liked this human. She had interrupted their bliss and had stirred up old ghosts that he had thought long forgotten, but she had only been concerned for her friend, the man she had expected to marry.

She hadn't meant to hurt him. She couldn't have known that her family's ancient history had been his own recent past, that it could still cut him so deeply.

So, he dipped his head in a small nod and smiled softly. She returned the gesture, a new respect between them.

"I should start back. Your father will send the guard if I'm not back by nightfall."

Chuck shot him a speculative look, but Raleigh didn't need the prompt. Instead, he smiled up at this new human that had become important to him and made the offer himself.

"Or I could save you the walk?"

She tried not to look excited. She really did.

His smile deepened into a smirk. "It's the least I can do for dragonkin."

Her bright, beaming smile was all the answer he needed.

\--

The venerable Tanigashima Moris could be forgiven for shrieking in terror as an enormous, golden dragon deposited their precious daughter in the Hansen castle's courtyard. She didn't have a scratch on her, though she was, admittedly a bit windblown, but her otherwise pristine condition could hardly be known at a glance. They could also be forgiven for glaring at Chuck when the dragon put him down beside her, though they wisely held their tongues as to their feelings on his rejection of their princess.

For all that they were secretly somewhat dragonkin, they knew they couldn't compare to an _actual dragon._

Herc, on the other hand, saw nothing wrong with flapping a hand at Raleigh, telling him to transform so he'd fit in the damn castle, and shepherding the whole lot of them inside for a late afternoon feast. Raleigh, ruefully amused, as seemed to be his usual feeling toward humans lately, did as requested, though he respectfully stood behind Chuck until Herc's valet provided him some of Chuck's clothes so as not to offend the Moris' fine sensibilities at dinner.

Thus, Raleigh found himself seated at a banquet table, food piled high around him, Chuck at his side and Mako across from him, feeling less and less like an outcast as these strange humans deliberately included him in their conversation. The Moris were as gracious as the Hansens were gruff, the contrast amusing enough that he eventually let himself unwind from his decades of seclusion.

He'd been alone for so long. It was... nice... to interact. Strange, but nice. Even if his current company was a passel of humans.

And when Herc finally let them leave with promises to keep working on how to get the drafting desk out of Chuck's room, Raleigh said goodbye to Mako with a sincerity that surprised him. And she responded in kind, taking his hand in both of hers, giving it a gentle squeeze, then letting go with a smile.

"You will take care of him?"

His mouth quirked. "As much as he lets me."

She chuckled, her dark eyes twinkling. "Good." She tilted her head, becoming more serious. "Let him take care of you, too."

They both looked over at Chuck, who watched them with a faint smile. Raleigh felt a hint of fire in his chest and smiled back, answering without looking away.

"I'll try."

"Good."

She went to Chuck next, eyed him for a moment, then hugged him tightly. Chuck hesitantly hugged her back, then relaxed and nodded when she whispered something to him. Raleigh could have heard it if he chose to, but he gave them their moment of privacy.

She had given her blessing. She wouldn't try to come between them.

Soon enough, Chuck backed away from her, touched her cheek, then came over to take Raleigh's hand. "Ready to go home?"

Home. Their home.

He smiled. "Ready when you are."

Grinning, Chuck stepped back and let go of his hand, so he obligingly stripped out of the borrowed clothes and ignored the gasps and murmurs as he rolled his shoulders. He started to transform, then paused.

"Hey, Mako?"

She was one of only a few who hadn't looked away as he stripped. Had, in fact, eyed him with interest. "Hm?"

He smirked. "Next time you visit, maybe knock before coming in."

Her pale cheeks flushed and she coughed, but he snickered and transformed before she could respond. Chuck shook his head but obligingly climbed onto his open claw. Raleigh lifted him up to his withers and waited until he was comfortably seated and had a good grip on a spine before spreading his wings.

The gathered crowd backed away, and Raleigh leapt into the air, relishing the feel of the world falling away. It had been weirdly nice to be included in a group, but it had been another long, trying day, and he just wanted to be alone with Chuck. To see if they could regain that blissful contentment they'd shared while so intimately connected.

This time, he wanted Chuck inside him. Wanted to take him in, accept him, feel the heat and weight of him.

Wanted to fall asleep connected and entwined and shut the outside world away for a while.

Maybe he should build a door. A really big one. With a lock.

But for now, it was enough that he was on his way home, his mate holding tight and loving the flight, and the rest of the evening was theirs to do with as they pleased.

They'd deal with tomorrow -- with all the tomorrows -- when they had to. For now, being together was enough.

**THE END**


End file.
